a different kind of chinatown

I went back to Oahu for Thanksgiving with my best friend this last November.

Naturally, we had ourselves a little thrifting sesh in Chinatown during the rain. (I was happy, even with the rain, because Manhattan was pretty much a frozen Hell hole at that point. Even with the “rainy season” chill in Oahu, temperatures were still around 60′s & 70′s.)

It’s an interesting little nook of Honolulu- which let’s face it, doesn’t have much going for it outside of the airport.

(Who wants a broke-down, dirty city when there’s luscious forest and pristine beaches to get your chill on at, anyways?)

So if you find you need a respite from the sunshine (Sunburns? Heat Stroke?)

Consider spending some time thrifting or having a cup of tea, at the very least, in Honolulu’s Chinatown.

You’ll have to dig, of course, but you’d be expecting that. Plus, there’s some pretty kooky stuff that will inspire more than a few laughs from you and your mates.

When I was there, I found a Pepe Jeans burgundy and black plaid shrug-of-shorts, a DKNY black sweater, a teal cashmere dress (with a calico neckline, random, but I love it), and a couple of mumuu’s for dirt cheap.

FYI, RogueRanters, if you’re in Hawaii and want to purchase a muumuu, but don’t want to spend 60+ dollars on a new one, head to this Salvation Army. You’ll find a large variety, in a variety of sizes, for a variety of prices- most under $15. Most are in great condition.

And at the very least, you can just go for the people watching. Hawaii really does have the worst fashion sense, I’m ashamed to admit.

Exhibit A) Evil Butt-Munching Romper

(OMG, be happy this was on my crappy cell camera, otherwise your eyes would melt out of their sockets from the horror!)

Exhibit B) Napolean Dynamite‘s Fanny Pack Wearing Uncle

(BTW, never seen that movie. I pride myself on this fact.)

Exhibit C) A Whole Group of Unsavory Characters Waiting At The Bus Stop

Oh, and don’t laugh if you’ve never been to Honolulu and all of a sudden see cops on segways. It’s totally normal.

(Can I PLEASE test-ride one of these babies?)